Phoning around Kimberley for stock, a workshop slot or a course date takes time. Send one request instead, with the drone you fly and what you need, and we pass it to approved drone flight schools who work in Kimberley and nearby areas of Northern Cape.
Drone Licence (RPL) in Kimberley
Flight schools that train pilots from Kimberley can quote the RPL course, help with the medical and the SACAA paperwork, and explain the ROC route for a new drone business. Say how many pilots need a licence, for which class of drone, and when you want to start.
Want to know more first? Our drone licence guide covers the options, the rules and what affects the price.
Kimberley notes on parts, training & hire
Spare propellers and batteries are worth keeping, as repairs often go to Bloemfontein or Gauteng. Dust around the mines in Ritchie and Barkly West clogs motors, so clean after each day. Mine staff can train for an RPL through Northern Cape or Free State schools. Renting a mapping drone with a pilot is often cheaper for a one-off volume count at a dump near Beaconsfield.
Kimberley from the air
Kimberley grew from diamond mining, and its landscape still shows it. The Big Hole is a famous aerial subject, but flying over it and other mining sites needs permission. Active mines and tailings dumps ask for stockpile volumes, slope checks and environmental surveys, while the municipality and solar developers want mapping across wide, flat ground. Summers are hot, with dust and afternoon storms, and winters bring cold, clear mornings. Kimberley Airport sits south of town, so check airspace before flying there. Mokala National Park lies to the south-west and does not allow drones without permission. Many operators also cover Barkly West and the Vaal River diggings.
Typical drone licence requests in the area come from:
- Mines, plants and utilities: RPLs for an in-house team that inspects plant, stockpiles and pylons
- Municipalities, schools and NGOs: RPLs for municipal, conservation and search and rescue drone pilots
- Builders, engineers and installers: licensed pilots for survey and progress flights on building sites
Local tips for Kimberley
Popular here: mine surveys, tailings and stockpile volumes, and heritage site filming. Ask each supplier about this: ask whether the operator has flown on mine sites and holds site safety papers. Where they work from: a few local pilots and mine service firms; shops often in Bloemfontein.
Drone Licence (RPL) usually suit anyone who flies a drone for paid work, done like this: course, medical, tests, then SACAA issue. For mines, plants and utilities, the biggest group here, that usually means RPLs for an in-house team that inspects plant, stockpiles and pylons. On the weather side: hot, dusty summers with storms; cold, clear winter mornings.
Service area: Kimberley and surrounds
Our network covers Kimberley together with Galeshewe, Roodepan, Ritchie, Barkly West, Hadison Park, Beaconsfield. A street address or a farm name helps a flight school check the airspace before quoting.